Improvement in metallurgic furnaces



2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

W. SWNDELL. Metallurgia-Furnace. No. 210,369. Patented Nov. 26,1878.

EBEE- 2 Sheets--SheetJ 2.

W. SWINDELL. Metallurgie-Furrnaoe.

No. 210,369. Patented Nov. 26,1878.

N. PETERS, PHOTQLWHOGRAPHER, WASHmGToN. C4

UNITED STATES PATENT OEEIGE.

VILLIAM SWINDELL, OF ALLEGHENY, PENNSYLVANIA.

IMPROVEMENT'IN METALLURGIC FURNACES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 2 [0,369, dated November 26, 1878; application iiled March 23, 1878.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that WILLIAM SWINDELL, of Allegheny, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Metallurgie Furnaces; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, forming part of this specification, in which- Figure 1 is a sideelevation of a furnace embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a horizontal section on the line c c, Fig. 4. Fig. 3 is a horizontal section on the line w w, Fig. 4. Fig. 4 is a vertical section on the line w Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a vertical section on the line y y, Fig. 3. Fig. 6 is a vertical transverse section on Ithe line z z, Fig. 5.

Like letters referto like parts wherever they occur.

My invention relates to the construction of that class of metallurgie furnaces wherein gaseo us fuel is employed, and the waste-heat from the products of combustion, &c., is utilized to heat either the air or gas, or both; on their way to the hearth or combustionchamber, and is an improvement on Letters Patent No.165,630, granted to me July 13, 1875.

It consists, first, in the arrangement of a series of dampers between the producer and regenerator or hearth, and between the latter and stack, whereby the iiame, heat, dto., can be directed to either side of the hearth or regenerator at will and as indicated; secondly, inprovidin g the producer with one or more deiiectin g curtains or septa, whereby the gases accumulating near the crown or top of the producer are compelled to travel over close to or through the fuel before their escape from the producer; and, ually, in details of construction ,hereinafter more specifically set forth.

I will now proceed to describe my invention, so that others skilled in the art to which it appertains may apply the same.

In the drawing, A indicates the furnace proper, and B B the producers, preferably at one end and in line with the furnace. The producers B may be, in general construction, of any desired form, with feed-hoppers b, grates b1, and ash-pit b2. The arches or crowns ofthe producers are provided by me with pendent walls or curtains b4, which should hang down sufficiently low to nearly, if not quite, touch the fuel in the producer. These curtains or deflectors cause the descent of such gas as would otherwise pass near the roof or crown, so that the gas generated in the producers is subjected to a proper heat before escaping and the quality of the gas is uniform. The producers B communicate at one end, by ports c, with a gasiiue, C, arranged transversely to and at the base of furnace A, and this in turn, by ports'c2, with a second trans verse iiue, C, from which gas-iiues or deliveryports c3 dischargethe gas into the combustion-chamber or onto the hearth. The ports c2 between the transverse flues C C are guarded by dampers or valves c4, which can be manipulated separately to control or shut off the gas-supply, and to direct it to either one or the other side of the hearth.

D indicates the hearth or combustion-chamber, provided with a crown, D1, and working doors` D2. Over the roof or crown D is sprung an arch, E, in such manner as to leave a space between the roof and arch, to permit the circulation of air for the preservation of the parts.

The arch E is divided into a series of airflues, c, which communicate at one end with the space beneath the hearth or combustion-chamber, and at the other with the hearth or combustionchamber at a point near the gas-ports c3, said i'lues alternating with a second set of lues, f, which receive the products of combustion from the hearth and deliver them to a transverse flue, F, which discharges into a stack, G, through ports g. The ports g are guarded by dampers g', which canbe operated separately to direct the draft through the combustionilues of either half of the arch E. rlhe dampers g are usually opened or closed to correspond with dampers c, and according to the direction in which the draft is desired across the hearth.

The chamber or space H below the combustion-chamber or hearth D is divided u'p by checker-work h, which not only serves to support and strengthen the hearth, but also retards, divides up, and disseminates the incoming air, causing it to pass in contact with the bottom ofthe hearth and e'ectually heating it.

The chamber H communicates with the airuese ofthe arch at one end, and at the other, by means of ports It', with a flue or tunnel, I, which opens through the walls of furnace A, said port-s being guarded by valves or dampers 17, by means ot' whichthe amount of air entering the furnace can be regulated.

The operation of my device is as follows: Fire having been started in producers B, fuel added as required, and the combustion regulated to cause the production of carbonio-oxide gas, any gases rising to the roof of the producer will be deiiected by pendent walls or curtains b4 aud caused to travel through or close over the surface of the fuel in the pro` ducer, thus insuring the yield of an uniform fixed gas.

'lhe gas from the producer passes by lues C, ports c2, and iue C to the delivery-ports c3, leading to the hearth, the quantity and direction ot' the gas being regulated by adjustingd am pers c4.

The dampers t' being properly set, air enters through ports h', circulates through chainber H, absorbing heat from the hearth and checker-work h, passes thence into Tlues c of arch E, absorbing heat from the products of combustion, and finally unites with the gas from the producers at its junction with gasport ci. Combustion takes place on hearth D, and the waste products escape by tiucs f ofthe arch, givin g up their heat to the air entering through alternate iiues c.

After the waste products leave ues c they enter transverse iiue G 011 their way to the stack, and accordingly as the dampers g (one or both) are opened or closed will be the direction of the draft across hearth D.

The skilled workman will, without further direction, readily understand how to set the dampers to produce the quality of lame desired on the hearth or in the combustionchamber, and also how to direct the flame to one or other side of the hearth, as desired.

The advantages of my improved combined producer, regenerator, and furnace are compactness, uniformity in operation, the ready manner in which the temperature, workingiiame, and direction of the flame can be controlled, the support afforded the combustionchamber or working-hearth, and the thoroughness with which the hearth is protected, as well as the waste-heat thereof utilized.

I am aware that a fuel-chamber wherein coal is placed and subjected to a sweating or coking process has been employed in conjunction with a fire-chamber in metallurgie furnaces, and that in such construction a divisionwall separated the two chambers, compelling the gas given off in the coking-chamber to pass through the incandescent coke in the iire chamber.

I am also aware that an arch has been used at the feed-chute of a producer to limit the height of the fuel in said producer, and do not herein claim such subject-matter.

Furthermore, I am aware that two furnaces have been arranged side by side, and provided with a series of dampers and valves, whereby air and gas could be admitted at one end of one furnace, and, being burned in said furnace,-

the waste gases resulting could be passed through the second furnace, giving a preparatory heating therein, and that, by means of the dampers, the operation specified could be reversed; nor do I herein claim such subjectmatter, as my devices are neither constructed nor adapted to so operate.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, 1s-

1. The combination, with the root' or arch of the producer, of the dcilccting-wall, adapted to cause the dip of the gas, which accumulates near the roof before its escape from the producer, substantially as specified.

2. The combination of the producer, the working-hearth, the arch spanning the hearth and divided into air and combustion iiues, and the two sets of dainpers interposed between the producer and hearth, and the combustion iiues and stack, substantially as and for the purpose specified. j

In testimony whereof I, the said WILLIAM SWINDELL, have hereunto set my hand.`

F. W. RITTER, Jr., A. O. J onNs'roN. 

